Sinn Féin TD for Dublin South West Seán Crowe has said that the Minister for Justice must make the regulation of alcohol delivery services a priority, saying that drink was being made freely accessible to people who in many cases are underage or clearly vulnerable.

Teachta Crowe said:

“My party colleague Thomas Gould TD recently questioned the Minister for Justice Helen McEntee on what steps the government was taking to regulate alcohol delivery services, the so-called ‘Dial A Drink’, and the answer was a blank nothing.

“The Minister seemed to be under the impression that this was somehow a new service that had sprung up during the COVID restrictions. This is not the case and she needs to realise the challenge this creating in many communities.

“In Dublin, various services of this type have operated for years, largely under the radar but quite common. They also facilitate endless parties that go on for days and impact negatively on neighbours and the broader community.

“These dial a booze services need to be regulated if they are to continue. Delivering drink to people underage, people overly intoxicated and vulnerable people in addiction should be stopped and the sector needs to be legislated on.

“Increased isolation and purchasing alcohol when overly intoxicated are other serious scenarios regularly occurring because of the lack of any regulation. Many of these services are operating 24 hours a day and delivering drink at all hours of the morning.

“People should be able to drink in moderation of course, but we must also ensure that people are not putting themselves in danger and that children are not able to freely access alcohol as a matter of routine

“I am calling on Minister McEntee to take her head out of the sand, get up to speed on what’s happening in many communities, and begin to treat this matter seriously.”